Freezing Warmth
by Whattheruffles
Summary: Two kingdoms at war, fighting over a lost princess. Many miles away from Arendelle, Elsa must choose the side she believes in. Will she run away from fate, or will she answer its call- even if it means losing everything? No matter her choice, the song of fire and ice will be sung throughout the kingdom for ages to come. Rated M for language, sexual themes and violence.
1. Chapter 1: Pilot

Agnarr was having a bad day. It didn't help that he had woken up with a terrible headache the size of his advisors' mouth, threatening to be a thorn in his side till he was able to find the royal doctor and attain a cure.

It also didn't help that he was being forced to interact with the man he despised the most- King Jerald of the Oslo Kingdom, the most annoying man he had met in all his life as ruler of Arendelle. Not to mention that he was the reason why his wife rarely smiled these days. Oh what he would do to see those crinkles around her eyes appear more often, maybe even a laugh-

"For the last time, we demand an apology for the incident that has happened over 2 years ago. Your accusation has caused us to lose many of our trusted allies, pushing our country closer into a financial crisis! Outrageous!" Jerald's saliva seemingly could not bear to be in his mouth any longer, flying out into the open before landing on Agnarr's eyebrow and interrupting his thoughts. Great.

His hand slowly creeping to his belt stocked with throwing knives, Agnarr's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he brought his other hand up to wipe away any traces of the opposing king's spit that had landed on him by chance. Deciding against punching him for now, Agnar's left hand opted for the wine glass situated on the cedar table, a glorious monument filled with the liquids of the gods standing out against the scattered sheets of parchment detailing alliances and policies.

"And pray tell, oh _King jerald_," Agnarr drawled, sipping the wine from the glass purposefully, "would your terms for an apology be?". It had been two years since it happened-of course Agnarr knew what the greedy king wanted before he said it.

500,000 pounds of silver. 22 bags of gold and diamonds. A public announcement to the neighbouring kingdoms that they had falsely accused Oslo of taking their daughter away. Agnarr scoffed in his head. Like hell he would. He would trade all the jewels in the world if he could have his daughter back…

Agnarr shook his head and placed down the wine glass. "King Jerald, I would give you the riches of my Kingdom if it meant I could have my only child back. Alas, _Prince Lucas_" Agnarr spat out, anger threatening to overrule his mind, "still chooses to remain silent about what happened 2 years ago! It is not my fault that your son has become mute, but he is certainly connected to my child's disappearance."

It was the king's private chambers in Arendelle castle, reserved for private meetings that required the utmost secrecy and confidentiality. The room was littered with ornate bookshelves and gold-lined furniture, furlined carpets spilling out over the rosewood floor as specks of dust mingled in the air. While the room seemed peaceful and cozy, the atmosphere between the two leaders was anything but. Charged with tension and poorly disguised fury, there were many a few glances cast to their respective weapons, each itching to resort to a straight duel.

With a frustrated grunt, Agnarr rose to his feet, standing up from his leather chair and towering over the shorter man in front like a father to his insolent child. Something Agnarr was proud of, taking pleasure at the slightest hint of fear in Jerald's eyes as they sized each other up. Both knew of the other's penchant ability in battle, and this was one of the few reasons preventing Agnarr from throwing his wine glass at Jerald's head.

"I am already meeting you without my wife's consent, who need i remind you is deeply traumatized-" Agnarr began, before being cut off by Jerald's furious rebuttal.

"By an incident Oslo is not responsible for! This is ridiculous Agnarr, do not be such a foolhardy man to the point where you risk war!"

"War you are responsible for yet choose not to shoulder the burden!" Agnarr thundered back, his fury reaching an all time high at being insulted by the mildly fat leech in front of him. "I know you value Luke, as he is your only son, but she was my only daughter too. If you truly wish to repair your country's state, you could start by finding my child, or face the consequences!".

Jerald also rose up from his chair, fist pounding on the table as he refused to back down from Agnarr's commanding presence. As expected. While Agnarr was dubbed "The wise", Jerald was known as "the bold", a mark of respect towards his guts for challenging whoever no matter the circumstance. These days he was labelled with descriptions far worse and insulting in nature, but Agnarr did not see the need to bring it up. After all, war with Arendelle was enough of a deterrence, let alone Jerald's reputation.

"And how do you propose I do so when my resources are spread thin? My allies are disappearing for fear of the same thing happening to them, and it's all your fault!" Jerald's armour shook as he spoke, the sound of metal scraping and clashing against metal showing the extent of his fury.

Agnarr was close to telling this man to shove a rat up his ass and cry to his mother, but instead all the two men got to enjoy was a tense stare off before all hell broke loose.

The sound of the door opening and hitting the wall with ferocity and rage shook the window panes furiously, a loud bang resounding throughout the bookshelves wobbled precariously, the wine bottles trembling in the cabinet beside the desk as the two men were shaken out of their stupor. Guilt and concern immediately plagued Agnarr as he saw the woman he loved appear in the doorway, a sword at her waist and a dagger in hand.

Agnarr knew his wife's mental state, knew how precarious her mind was, knew her rashness when it came to her daughter. So he put two and two together.

As quick as his reflexes could, Agnarr brandished his own sword in the nick of time, barely managing to save King Jerald's life by deflecting the dagger aimed for his throat. As if time had slowed down itself, the dagger was sent towards the table instead, shattering the wine glass in the process. The metallic clang of steel against steel resounded through the air, acting as a temporary buffer before a scream of primal rage and fury tore through the air.

Like hell had embodied itself into a figure, Queen Iduna of Arendelle descended upon King Jerald in an uproar. Tears streaming down her face, she reached for her sword, only to find herself restrained by her very own husband, who was using all his strength to quell her rage and hysterics. Screams of anguish at the sight of Jerald shook the windows, filling the room with emotion and pressure.

Struggling against his grip but to no avail, Iduna cursed and swore as she stared at the man she believed was hiding the one responsible for her daughter's disappearance. At the thought of her daughter, a brief moment of clarity was restored to her, barely enough for her to address King Jerald coherently.

"Leave." Iduna spat out, her eyes boring into Jerald's with such wrath and intensity the man was forced to look at his wine soaked feet. "Come back when you have my daughter you _whore_."

Giving no sign that he heard her command, a looming shadow was cast across his face in the pale moonlight as he shifted his body to brush himself off, from both the shock of being attacked by the queen along with the discomfort prickling across his body. Still, unrestrained rage was evident from the way his fist was clenched and in the tense muscles peeking out from underneath his armour as he finally raised his head to meet Iduna's vehement glare.

"As you wish, _queen_ Iduna." King Jerald whispered in an icy tone, the hostility ringing in his voice and making itself known to the three people in the room. With that final mockery of her royalty, Jerald moved towards the door, his armour clad feet dragging across the wooden floor like nails on a chalkboard. Every second seemed drawn out to Agnarr as the figure made his way across the room, his senses spiking should the two parties go on the offensive once more.

However, as Jerald passed the couple, the heated moment passed and Agnarr inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. There would be no blood spilt tonight. Not for a long time, if he could help it. Hopefully, this would pass without need for bloodshed. While Agnarr was a gifted warrior with his fair share of killings, he always hoped for the best- which in this case, would be his daughter returning safely without any conflict.

This hope had always been inside Agnarr, resting peacefully as Agnarr handled talks of alliance negotiations and peace treaties. Resting peacefully, until Jerald paused at the doorway, the winter cloak he had just put on fluttering slightly in Arendelle's winter breath. Until Jerald opened his mouth, quietly hissing the words that caused the hope to flutter and cease.

The words that lingered in the room as his heavy-padded footsteps faded away gradually, signifying his departure back to Oslo. The words that lingered briefly in Iduna's mind as she crumpled to the floor, her body dry-heaving as miserable sobs escaped the room and flooded the hallways, filling it with the Queen's sadness and anguish. The words that lingered in Agnarr's mind with a sense of finality as he rubbed his wife's back in a comforting manner, knowing he would be facing yet another cold shoulder tonight. The words that refused to leave his attention as he eventually brought his wife back to their chambers hours later, tucking her in gently with promises to explain King Jerald's presence in their room.

Those wretched words.

"This is war."

…

It had been 2 weeks since the rumoured meeting of the autumn solstice between the two monarchs of Arendelle and Oslo. The rumours of a brandished sword and promises of war had fallen upon several curious ears, all of which seemed glaringly real given the current events sweeping the various kingdoms. Or just one in particular.

Oslo's war production had increased, the smoke of a hundred blacksmiths filling the air as the clanging of metal revised from a disruptive presence to a common one. Young men had been sent from their homes to the castle, having been woken up by knocks on their doors in the wee hours of the morning by the King's guards on errand. Gone was the beautiful smell of Oslo's famous pine trees, the lovely sound of birds chirping in the forests. A path was being cleared through nature by the actions of men and women alike, a path that would take them on a direct offensive route to the borders of Arendelle.

This meant carving out territories of smaller kingdoms, something that did not seemed to deter Oslo's production efforts in the slightest. They were fully committed to this- all under the king's orders. Did the king not care of the deaths they would have to suffer, his people who were oh so loyal to him? Loyalty and admiration were often confused, and it seemed the King had the whole country under his spell.

Or so Henry was told. He had not seen Oslo since a few weeks ago.

"One southern Beer?" A merry voice broke Henry's thoughts, and the brown haired man turned to find a girl barely reaching his torso, struggling with a pint of beer that spilled everywhere as the girl teetered on her feet.

He wasn't in Oslo, hadn't been since the King himself had given him his assignment. He had travelled a long distance by horseback and his own two feet, managing to get good ground over most of his journey.

Most. This fucking weather was too cold for today, and Henry had heard good reviews of the tavern he was currently resting in- Oaken's "Cooling" Tavern. He had never seen so many people happy to be stuck in such an isolated place, but the merry bustle of the crowd and the comforting presence of large burly men having a laugh around some ale brought some ease to Henry. His journey was a lonely one, and he sought comfort in sitting alone at his table, drinking in the sight of merry tunes being played by the local bard and couples dancing disjointedly… yet freely. All while the icy blizzard blazed outside, threatening to tear down everything its path and flood it with snow- save for the trusty Oaken tavern. Yea winter was right around the corner, but why can't nature take a break for once?

Grunting in response, Henry relieved the pitiful girl of her burden and took the beer with his own hands, fingers discreetly brushing across the girl's tiny ones. Winking at the kid, Henry held his breath and downed the drink in a single gulp, enjoying the burning sensation of alcohol against his throat. A sense of euphoria was beginning to cloud his mind, Henry could tell, as he studied the girl still standing before him.

Seemingly shocked that this stranger had finished his drink in a second, her mouth was hanging ajar as childlike wonder sparkled in her eyes. Henry could appreciate that- it's been a long time since he himself had experienced such unadulterated joy at seeing something unexpected. Pale glistening lips, buttoned nose and a blooming blush adorned the girl's features as her auburn eyes glanced towards the floor under Henry's scrutiny. She had barely a year, maybe two, before she would go through her changes.

Perfect.

Henry cracked a wicked smile, knowing the girl was too innocent to interpret his actions as anything but holy and kind. Just his type.

…

A few moments later, Henry found himself outside the tavern, his heart palpating uncontrollably at the thought of sweet release. Back in Oslo, his escapades were anything but public, kept under the shadow of the night and pouches of money or gifts to soothe the parents of the children he explored. Devoured. Hungered for. All this would mean so little compared to the girl with her fingers laced between his, eager to find the "rumblefox" supposedly resting here in the trees surrounding the tavern.

That was of course, utter fucking bullshit. Henry had no qualms about lying to this naive being, but the bartender who was her father and owner of the establishment was no walk in the park. Big burly frame with broad shoulders and very defined muscles under his ugly Christmas sweater, his moustache had quivered with suspicion and intrigue upon Henry's request to take his daughter out for a walk. His wife nearly swooned, Henry could tell.

Women were no problem. Nor children, for that matter. But something about the way Oaken had examined him with a quick glance behind his bushy eyebrows had sent a shiver down Henry's spine, a small feeling nestling deep within his body to act as a precaution.

Don't get caught, Henry thought to himself. Easy. He never did anyway. He was practically begging for release anyway, it wouldn't take too long. Besides, the child's arms were as thick as his fingers. It wouldn't be much of a struggle.

"Mister, where's the fox? I can't believe you're so lucky to spot one so far from Oslo, I can't wait to see something so pretty!" The young girl gushed excitedly, her eyes twinkling as it roamed the dark expanse, searching for any telltale sign of the animal. Henry couldn't help but sigh dreamily as he took in the soft skin this girl was blessed with, making her face both adorable and stunning while stirring Henry's stomach.

Henry glanced around the surroundings, drinking in the dazzling night sky littered with bright lights smiling down on them. The pale yet lively full moon reflected light from the sun with such beauty, the embodiment of grace with its archaic beauty. A shining light allowing Henry to make out the large forests on either side that seemed to stretch on for miles, never once stopping to breathe.

Henry turned his attention towards the girl, watching white mist appear with the girl's very exhale, dazzling yet alluring under the spell of the moonlight.

Greed and desire had risen quickly in Henry's mind, clouding his thoughts to the point of no return. He wanted his release now. He would rather die than be without it. Fuck it.

And so, he placed one comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, fingers placed inches away from the buttons holding her flower-patterned dress together. His other hand trailed towards the belt around his waistband, loosening it as he leant down into her ear, whispering "I can show you something else rather to your liking as well, little lady…".

"Disgusting."

A voice rang through the air, a light peering through the fog of desire that had clouded Henry's mind. All at once, Henry was reminded of where he was- standing in the freezing cold with wind whipping around him, hands prepared to roam lecherously over a girl who was definitely a kid. Henry had been bundled up warmly to prevent himself from freezing, and yet it didn't matter once the voice reached his ears. It was cold, sharp and eerie all at once, causing a shiver to run down his back as beads of sweat started to appear on cue. Like a haunting melody, a voice uttered to usher the dead into the afterlife. Ghostly.

Henry felt a multitude of emotions swarm him. Fear, distrust, panic. He had never been caught, not until now. How had he been so careless? Stupid. He had been caught. By who, it didn't matter. Not yet, anyway. Henry's mind wandered to the spare gold left in his pouch, even the cutlery he had stolen from the castle kitchens stowed safely in his leather sack.

Most peasants would die for those anyway. All he had to do was offer the slightest bit of money, a half hearted apology and everyone would turn a blind eye. Who wouldn't? A man's intention would be the least of anyone's concerns- everyone was just trying to make it through life.

Inwardly breathing a sigh of relief at his quick thinking, Henry slowly turned his being around to face the owner of the voice. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered that the voice he heard had a feminine, high pitched tone to it. Which made sense, given that the person in front of him was female.

While most of her body was covered by a plain black cloak, her face was only partly covered by the hood that had been drawn up to protect her identity. Her slender yet full lips were obvious, glistening with moisture and acting as a complement to her sharp chin and defined bone structure. Stunning already from the bottom half of her face, but she had clearly outgrown Henry's age limit. Pity.

"Look here miss," Henry began in a soothing voice, tone dropping to that of a velvety whisper "I was simply bringing this girl to see an interesting animal. Is against a law I was not aware of?"

"Is that animal hiding in your pants then? I see your belt is already undone, your pants about to drop. Do not take me for a fool." Her sentences were clipped yet precise, and a sense of dread began to creep over Henry as he realized she meant business. She wasn't going to leave without a more convincing explanation. Fucking hell.

"I'm sure a little bit of coin would help give you a better explanation miss, or perhaps anything else you desire?"

"I desire the truth." Her voice had a cabalistic sound to it, like windchimes being blown in the soothing caress of the autumn wind.

"Listen here lady" Henry growled, the cold starting to set into his body as his frustration grew with the figure before him. Why wouldn't she just piss off? "Either leave, or I'll show you how to fu-"

He never got to complete his sentence as white tendrils shot towards him in an instant, wrapping around his figure and rendering him helpless as it encased everything but his neck and head in a jail of powdery white...ice? A sound was never made, save for the soft hissing of molecules being turned to pure, unfiltered ice in a split second, stretching out towards the perpetrator.

Of course, Henry was oblivious to it all.

He couldn't comprehend what had just occurred, his mind already beginning to shut down with the extreme cold now reaching his bones. Attempting to move a muscle, Henry was only met with complete failure as he found himself unable to wiggle his fingers nor his toes. Almost as if he had been frozen to the brink of certain death.

This figure clearly had transcendental and esoteric power on another level. Nope, not in his paycheck that's for sure.

And yet, to Henry his alcohol-riddled mind instinctively decided that his drink must have had some potion added into it, for he simply could not fathom a female could wield such power, let alone with such grace and control. The ice had been wickedly manipulated to surround his being entirely in a cage, making him immobile and speechless but still responsive. A work of art really. Frozen beauty was embodied throughout the streamlined decorations of the cage, Henry realized, in intricate snowy patterns that danced across the inner and outer linings of the cage. In the light of the pale cold moon, it glinted with a mysterious sheen, a puzzle waiting to be uncovered under the scrutiny of the perceptive.

It really was ice in its coldest, purest, most magnificent form. Resplendent but restrained, controlled by its owner. Henry had to fucking deny it, he fucking had to! No female could or should even come close to this power, not in any goddamn kingdom. Henry would rather die then believe it. To him, male hierarchy was key to his survival and perspective on life- without men in charge, where would society be?

Maybe in a better place, but Henry wouldn't know.

Out of the corner of his eye, Henry saw the figure's head shift towards something behind him, before nodding in the direction of the tavern as a form of gesture. This action was immediately followed by padded footsteps against the large amounts of snow blanketing the area, which could only mean one thing. The girl had ran away, leaving Henry denied of his chance to finally release copious amounts of tension that had been built wandering the bitter mountains.

Son of a bitch...

Upon the insistence of sub zero temperatures settling into his body, Henry's attention was sharply returned to the precarious situation he was in. Sure, the blizzard might have brought some snow, but he felt like he was standing in Oslo in January with the unfiltered ice up to his knee.

This woman was crazy as -

As if fueled by some abrupt and unadulterated rage, a hand flew towards Henry's throat in a flash, cutting off both his thoughts and oxygen supply as long slender fingers suddenly commanded a vice-like grip around his neck.

Henry immediately felt the world turn upside down as his vision became fucked up on a whole different level, his body struggling for oxygen whilst attempting to comprehend the sudden inexplicable force around his voicebox.

Choking out a whine, he saw blackspots dance across his eyes, numbness causing several limbs to stiffen and leaving no chance of escape. Pain had set in a long time ago, but with those fingers digging in with a vengeance Henry experienced agony like he never had before. As the life was choked out of him, he felt pain explode in 5 different points across his neck, causing him to wince and grunt in discomfort as he felt warm liquid beginning to ooze out.

Blood.

Blood gushing out of the open wounds that had been caused by the figure's deathly sharp nails, seeping the very life out of him and dwindling his chances of survival. Pain had taken over Henry by now, and he could not even thrash his legs to disperse his hopelessness at the situation. He couldn't even see with his vision already fading, pockets of white appearing in his peripherals along with the occasional black cloak.

"Kids gone, darling, its just you and me." Laced with open cruelty and sick happiness, Henry could feel her pleasure at his pain, could feel her malicious grin as she muttered her words. Happiness at the massive amount of agony coursing through his veins, at the blood that was surely streaming down his throat, over her fingers and dripping onto the ground.

With no sound other than his ragged attempts for air and the figure's relaxed breathing, she continued to strangle Henry with ease under a cruel gaze

"Picking on kids, seems Oslo has reached a new low, huh?" Although phrased as a question, it was oddly laced with familiarity and suspicion, like a nostalgic hatred for the country Henry was born and raised in.

With so much fucking ease.

Anger welled up in Henry. How could he let this happen? He was born of a noble house with 4 brothers at his side, a large house near the castle and the town centre. His family owned two farms for fuck sake, He would be damned if he didn't at least put up a fight.

Using the last reserves of his strength, Henry swiftly jerked his head forward towards his attacker before chomping down hard on the figure's wrist, satisfaction kicking in as his teeth sunk into unprotected flesh. The cloak had ridden up as she had choked the life out of Henry, and fortunately he was able to use this to his advantage.

A yelp of pain rang throughout the clearing, surprise evident as her fingers finally released Henry's throat in an attempt to get rid of Henry's bite. As the pressure on his throat disappeared, so did Henry's bite, and he dropped to the ground wheezing and sputtering for air.

He couldn't waste time! And with renewed vigor, he swiftly stood up as his hand reached down smoothly across his waist, drawing his dagger with grace only achieved from intense training as a castle guard designed to protect royalty.

He didn't get far.

As his eyes swung up from the blood-stained snow to his attacker, his eyes widened in shock as he saw a bloody fist speeding towards him with intent and purpose. Brimming with pure power and energy, Henry was as good as dead. He was about to be pulverized.

Well, bummer.

As his imminent death approached, he couldn't help but gasp at the attackers features, noticing that her hood had slipped off from the apparent struggle.

Stunning white hair tied into a half braid, almost glowing in the moonlight in ethereal beauty. Flawless complexion and perfect eyebrows screamed magnificence, as her sharp nose was striking alongside her light makeup. Small ears, distracting eyelashes and her light splash of freckles across her cheeks all combined to make the most dazzling and alluring face Henry had seen since he was born. And those eyes.

Piercing cerulean blue irises surrounded an ocean of black that stared right into his soul, an unforgettable image Henry would surely bring with him to hell. Beautiful yet spectral in nature. A sea of emotions clear as day thrashing around in agony, wanting release as a thunderstorm brewed in those pupils. All at once, blue eyes bored into black.

And yet there was something familiar about it, making Henry recall certain memories of attending a royal's birthday from a distant allied kingdom. A flash of blue, funfare noises and sounds of laughter and joy plagued Henry all at once. A cake twice his size, made just for one special girl. A special princess-

The fist found its target, and with a satisfying crunch of a hundred bones all breaking at once, Henry knew nothing more.


	2. Chapter 2: Discoveries

Life in Oaken's Tavern was noisy and boisterous as usual, the sounds of drunken laughter and intoxicated joy permeating throughout the large yet cozy establishment. Men and women of all backgrounds could be seen chugging down pints of beer and ale, some daring enough to sip the famous Arendelle whiskey said to be capable of intoxicating a dozen men.

Or at least, according to Oaken himself, that was the stuff of weaklings. Oaken could drink that for breakfast! Or lunch... Or dinner...

Oaken grinned contentedly as he grabbed an empty mug from the sink in front of him, humming cheerily as he grabbed a rag to wipe it clean. Glancing appreciatively at his surroundings, he knew how lucky he was everytime he looked around the tavern. Ever since Oaken had opened his first business as a pitstop for weary travellers near the north mountain, he had been extremely fortunate to have met nothing but success.

Now, Oakyen dearest, his oldest child, is in charge of running that fine establishment. And quite well, Oaken might add. He had never seen such business since that big summer blowout! Now Oaken just had to prepare the rest of his family for business, which included Oakcan, Oakcen, and even Yenny, his youngest and most precious daughter.

Platinum blonde hair flashed across Oaken's vision, and he felt a shiver run down his spine, all tiny hairs on his nape standing upright at attention. Poor Yenny, his sweet sweet child. So innocent, so trusting, and to be taken advantage of like that!

Oaken damn near cracked the mug between his thick tree-like fingers as he furrowed his eyebrows in apprehension at the very thought. He would have to be careful of these- what was the word Elsa said? Ah yes, pedophiles… Time to up security.

Speaking of Elsa, Oaken's eyes shifted towards the back of the tavern, reserved for those who wished to drink alone or enjoy a quiet night in the candlelight. Frequently populated by lovers, old couples, and of course, the perpetual figure shrouded in darkness brooding at the corner of the tavern, illuminated only by a sliver of moonlight and dancing shadows cast in the firelight.

With a dark black cloak covering her entire figure, many would have mistaken her for the occasional fortune teller arriving to exploit weak-willed men of their fortunes. Of course, not many knew her true identity in these parts, but Oaken knew she was much more dangerous than those fools using crystal balls to sell their act.

Oaken couldn't thank the sorceress enough- she may as well have saved Yenny's life, killing that wretched and sorry excuse of a man. At the thought of the man that had come so close to touching his daughter, Oaken felt bile rise up at the back of his throat- regretting not only his inaction, but also at how he had found the sorry fellow…

"_Thor fucking almighty!" Oaken whispered, or well, at least tried to whisper. His natural bellow echoed throughout the night, travelling everywhere for the trees and animals to hear and causing a squirrel to scamper from its tree. _

_Oaken couldn't believe what the Freya he was seeing with his own two eyes- even his auburn moustache and goatee were quivering, with both repulsion and fear. He had heard stories about the sorceress of Fjordmound of course, the power she wielded over ice and snow- the fifth and final element. The strength of a thousand men that she possessed. The superior intelligence and cold exterior flashed against a bewitching appearance exceeding the standards of beauty. _

_But he had never seen her handiwork in person. Not until now._

_Standing at the back of his tavern, Oaken had never wanted to see anything else so much other than his own establishment. But he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight before him. _

_A painting of white and red, glistening crystals were twisted together to create a beautiful sculpture shining in the moonlight. Twisting and turning, Oaken had noticed the odd similarity between ice and bone-both were shining white in the moonlight, making it hard for him to tell where one ended and where one began. A mangled mess of the body had been suspended in midair for the night to see, entrails splayed everywhere and colouring the fresh powdery snow red with blood. In some sick fascination, it was almost as if she had created a christmas tree. If the tree had human flesh for decoration, ice for the vegetation and a face for the angel on top. _

_Even on closer inspection, Oaken could still barely make out his features. All of his features seemed pressed inwards, down towards the centre of his face, almost as if it were concave and bent inwards like a curvy dinner plate. Or if someone had punched him so hard his features were made to cave in to the centre, against his will. _

_Oaken's eyes finally left the mess before him and swept across the surroundings to the figure standing beside him, a whole head and some inches shorter. Her knuckles were distinctly bruised and red, a telltale sign of what had occurred to the man unlucky enough to have crossed her path. And touched his daughter._

"_Thank you for saving my daughter, sorceress. Words cannot express my gratitude- please feel free to stay here anytime instead." Oaken brought a hand to massage his temples, letting out a small sigh of annoyance as he grimaced at the mess he had both avoided and gotten himself into. He really needed a drink. Probably two._

_A small grunt of acknowledgement was his only reply, and Oaken was filled with indebtedness to the person who had acted on his own simple words without accusation. He had been suspicious after all about that suave hair and dark set eyes, and had thought to alert her about it. Lucky for him, she didn't count favours..._

"_Henry" The figure beside him started forward with small meaningful steps towards the monstrosity before him, and Oaken recognized the soft tinkle in her voice that came naturally with each syllable. "One of the guards sent here by Oslo"._

"_Oslo?" Oaken muttered, adding this to his list of ever growing problems, "What business does Oslo in these parts?"_

"_I know as much as you Oaken" The cloaked figure hesitated before the artwork she had created, before raising her blood-stained hand and waving it in a single sweeping motion. In an instant, the ice vanished into thin air, causing the damaged body to drop to the floor unceremoniously with a soft thud against the snow. In the gentle moonlight, a trail of snowflakes softly announced their presence, shimmering and floating in the air. A tiny shred of evidence to the presence of magic, invisible to the untrained human eye._

_But not to Oaken._

"_But" The figure turned around, and the sound of boots crunching on icy snow filled the silence as she approached Oaken. With most of her face cast in shadow, Oaken could barely make out a few droplets of blood on the bottom of her left cheek, bright red unmistakable against soft pale skin._

"_If I had to guess, I'd say he's here on a mission for the king." The figure passed in front of Oaken, treading forward back towards the tavern to seek comfort in its cozy warmth. Meanwhile, Oaken's headache had only managed to grow with every word. At this rate, his trusty winter hat would slip off at any moment._

"_The king? What could he possibly want from here?" Silence resumed as she paused at the doorway, her head tilting slightly to meet Oaken's sturdy gaze._

"_Me."_

…

Elsa wasn't having the best day of her life. She had woken up with yet another nightmare of clashing swords and blood-soaked battlefields, the agonized screams keeping her awake throughout the night. Then, she had to search the entire forest for her cloak, courtesy of a few pesky animals that had ran off with it during her morning bath in the river. Next, the day was spent getting rid of a "monster" for a local village, which only turned out to be a giant bear with longer-than-normal claws and a blood-stained snout. Tracking the damn thing was harder than fighting it.

"Monster" her ass! Elsa snorted as she sipped her drink, enjoying the fresh kick from Arendelle's whiskey that kept her brain alive. That wasn't even a challenge, compared to the training she put herself through yesterday as punishment for nearly being recognized. It seemed even miles away from Arendelle, word of the missing princess had spread far and wide.

Then, she decided to drop by the cozy familiar tavern to see one of the few people she liked, only to have to frickin' disembowel a pedophile. Pedophile- a new word she had picked up from her travels to the North, amongst curse words and other things. Like whispers and rumours of Oslo's plan to topple the Arendelle kingdom, laying waste to the country in a bid for resource and reputation.

Elsa could see why, to be fair. Oslo's image had gone down the Northern river ever since that day, abandoned and ostracized by most of its trade partners. Oslo was far from self-sustainable, but through starving its people Oslo had survived. Barely.

Arendelle's defeat would only bring about good fortune for Oslo. Resources, manpower, a boost in reputation and even added security as the conqueror of one of the mightiest kingdoms in the peninsula. Oslo had to give it one final shot

Letting out a small groan, Elsa let her forehead rest on the table with a dull thud as she closed her eyes for a brief moment of respite. Sure she had run away a few days before the public marriage, but she still loved her country. Sure there were things Elsa would love to forget, but Arendelle had ownership of many treasured memories inside her mind- the only thing helping her get a good night's rest at times.

The old rustic swing in the palace gardens, the fields that stretched for miles, the loving smiles of her parents-

The telltale sensation of water droplets filling her eyelids brought Elsa out of her thoughts, and she cursed inwardly for this moment of weakness. This was acceptable back at her home, but not here! Especially not in a bar filled with strangers, strangers she could not recognize and identify.

It was time to leave.

Raising her head, Elsa wiped away the single tear that had managed to escape its confines before standing up and dusting herself off. As if Elsa had conjured him out of thin air, a familiar figure appeared out of nowhere, blocking most of her vision.

"Oaken?" Elsa turned her attention back to preparing for her departure, grabbing her leather satchel and trusty wooden stick. Both had seen better days, with clear signs that they had been used for a long time now. But that was part of their charm- after all, Elsa was fond of both tools. They had been gifts from her parents, meant to make her life more convenient when venturing out into the dark mysterious forests surrounding the castle.

Elsa didn't think they ever saw her using them for this purpose.

"Going home so soon, Elsa?" Oaken's thinly veiled concern was obvious, causing Elsa's fingers to tighten around the stick. She still wasn't used to this, this… care.

"Rough day" Elsa tried to sound reassuring, but she didn't know if it worked. She was too exhausted- mentally and physically. "Nothing to worry about. I'll be back soon."

"Good, good…" The big man twiddled his thumbs, and Elsa felt a tinge of guilt for the coldness in her voice. "Just rest well, and if you need more medicine feel free to swing by."

Elsa nodded her head, preparing to brush past Oaken and toward the large cedar doors. However, she found herself being blocked by yet another figure- one that barely made it to her shoulders. Yenny. Still dressed in her favourite yellow flowered dress, she looked barely worse for wear.

"Miss?" Sweet,shy and a filial child, Elsa was always fond of Yenny. Or at least, as fond as she could be of children. She just didn't understand how to interact with children, let alone talk to them for hours on end. She preferred observing them from a distance, letting someone else handle their theatrics while she remained a keen eye.

"Thank you for saving my life" Yenny shifted on her feet, and Elsa finally noticed the way she was standing. On edge, scared. Yearning for affection but scared to take it.

"Of course, Yenny" Elsa relented and knelt down to her level, lifting her face and shifting her hood the slightest bit to allow her eyes to meet doe-brown ones filled with innocence and longing. "You're one of the bravest children I have ever met. Your dad must be proud."

Elsa allowed herself to feel a small sense of pride when Yenny saw her face, giving a loud audible gasp and immediately covering her mouth as blood rushed to her cheeks. She didn't usually show her face, but for this child she would definitely make an exception.

"T-t-thank you, miss…" The child continued to gaze in childlike awe, "You're very pretty m-miss"

Elsa's heart burst with an emotion she found unfamiliar, nearly swooning at Yenny's compliment. It was one thing to be called pretty by men and women alike, but a child? That made Elsa happier than any other compliment made by any other stranger.

On impulse, Elsa wrapped the child in a quick one-arm hug before withdrawing, inwardly cursing at the sudden show of weakness. Emotion was weakness, but why did Elsa feel so contented when she saw Yenny's face light up with pure joy?

Returning the smile, Elsa tousled her hair before gathering her belongings. She didn't like how open she was being, but something about a child's smile always made Elsa putty in their hands.

Eh, screw it.

"Call me Elsa."

…

"Thank you for everything, really."

The blizzard had stopped, leaving behind light snowflakes dancing across the night sky and on Elsa's shoulders. In the dazzling moonlight, each one cast their own artwork across the ground, spinning together frozen moments of beauty for the two figures standing outside to admire. Elsa did suspect that the weather was affected by her powers, but she could never be too sure.

"I already said Oaken, it's nothing. You're one of the few good men left out there, and I'll be damned if I let them get to you too." Elsa gave a half-hearted shrug to the towering figure beside her, before turning to pet the rugged beauty in front of her.

800 pounds of pure muscle, Elsa loved everything about the horse that she had found wounded in the edge of the woods near Fjordmound. Injured badly from what she assumed to be a fight, Elsa had carried him home to the cave to tend to his wounds. Slowly but surely, Ryder had learnt to trust her, until now he knew she would never abandon him.

From his pitch black pelt and tiny strips of pale skin to his ice-white mane, he was everything Elsa had ever wanted. Strong, fast, reliable and intelligent. But, Elsa did wish he would help with gathering food every once in a while…

"She's all ready to go, Elsa, I made sure to give her a few extra apples for the road. Wherever you're going to, she'll make it." Oaken ran a hand over his snout, giving a small grin as he earned himself a lick and a snort as a reply.

Strapping in the last of her belongings, Elsa turned to give Oaken a grateful smile as she gave Ryder a friendly smack on his rump.

"Many thanks, dear friend." Elsa didn't give this title to just anyone she met- Oaken was a person with genuine goodness in his heart. Not many people were like him.

With an air of familiarity, Elsa swung herself up onto her horse with practiced grace, settling comfortably in the saddle before leaning down to adjust her bootstraps. With the satchel slung onto her shoulder and her stick attached to Ryder, she was ready to leave. Leave for home, where her stash of chocolate awaited her. Thor knows she needed it.

"Elsa." Oaken's tone was as stern as always, but the tinge of fear in his voice caused Elsa to turn and lock eyes with him. Something was different this time. Oaken's fear shone through his face, and Elsa's gut twisted as she knew his next words.

"A war is coming. What are you going to do?"

Elsa felt a swooping sensation in her stomach as she processed his words, knowing full well the nature of what he meant. How much he meant. After all, he knew about her past. Her story. Her truth. He had helped her dispel any rumors about her, spreading false truths instead in order for her to walk around Fjordmound without fear. He was the reason why she could even work and earn a decent living.

Elsa owed him alot. But she remained silent, only giving him a slight nod before taking off into the night, the sound of hooves pounding against the dirt-covered road acting as her only reply to his statement.

She knew what he was asking. But she didn't know if she could give him an answer.

…

With a wave of her hand, the ice surrounding the cave disappeared into the night sky, glittering snow powder taking its place. Using her powers had become second nature, due to the arduous training she had put herself through. While she was certainly gifted to begin with, it was only through mental and physical strain that she pushed the boundaries of her powers.

With it, Elsa was also used to the familiar tingle in her hands that came with using her power, only growing in discomfort the more strain she put on her abilities.

However, this was the last thing on her mind as she strode forward, blanketed by darkness for a split second before being greeted by the familiar dim light of the cavern torches she used for her home.

Home. Elsa had another home too, many miles from here.

With a tired sigh, Elsa led Ryder to his resting place, a humble little stable built by her own two hands. He would be doing guard duty for Elsa as usual, what with him being close to the entrance of the cave. Giving a small snort in acknowledgement, Ryder stood still as Elsa loosened the saddle off him and grabbed her stuff, lightening him off his load.

He simply licked Elsa's cheek lightly, before trotting towards the water barrel near his stable. An acknowledgement of his job, something which he liked to give a disapproving snort about occasionally. Not like he could complain much anyway, the apples and fresh water Elsa provided did much to keep his grumbles to a minimum. Along with her control over the fifth element of the world.

"Nights Ryder, it's time for rest". Elsa gave him one last rub on his back, before striding towards the other section of her cave separated by a wall of vines and random vegetation. The one that led to where she lived, together with the cuddly sentient being she had created on accident.

Speaking of, where was that childish snowman?

"Olaf?" Elsa called out as she brushed past the curtain of leaves, stepping into her living room while throwing her satchel and stick onto the chair beside her. Home sweet home.

Elsa had designed this place- or really, when she said she designed she meant that she blasted through a gigantic rock formation purely using her powers. Everything was carved with her trusty ice blasts, something that had drained her almost entirely and made her take a break from life for 2 days.

Thankfully, Olaf had been activated by her body's self-preservation ability, which had created the adorable creature out of a distant memory in her mind and bestowed it with the power to think. He had nursed her out of the mini coma she had found herself in, saving both their lives in the due process. Who knew rocks were that hard to mold?

Together, Elsa and Olaf had managed to decorate the caves into a suitable layout perfect for living and working in maximum comfort. Or as much comfort as a cave could provide. There were different rooms connected by the living room- separated by doors and curtains alike. Despite the difficulty of hammering in doors into rock, Elsa HAD to put a door on certain rooms to prevent the snowman from barging in, who seemingly was not aware of the concept of privacy.

Especially during baths. Elsa remembered the first time-

All at once, a loud crash broke Elsa out of her thoughts, simultaneously answering her earlier question and alerting her to the sudden pungent smell that wafted in the air. Burnt...cookies?

Throwing her cloak off her body, Elsa made her way to the kitchen, where she was met with the most peculiar sight. Olaf, white snowman with carrots, buttons and all, in a flowery apron. With mittens on his stick thin tree branch limbs.

Elsa liked to think she was fairly composed most of the time, with years of training helping to create a mask of grace and regal beauty to hide her true emotions. Of course, there were times when this wasn't possible. Such as Olaf's failed attempt at baking.

Euphoria coursed throughout her body as she burst out laughing, the very sound echoing off the walls of the cave and filling the air with something heavenly altogether. Like the pure unfiltered joy of a child experiencing happiness for the first time, the atmosphere in the cave had suddenly brightened from a mellow one to a lively and merry one.

As her body shook with gentle laughter, Elsa faintly registered Olaf's eyes widening with contentment and joy before being tackled by the snowman. As his spindly arms wrapped around her body, Olaf's own sounds of mirth harmonized as one with her own giggles.

Olaf's warm body pressed tightly into the sorceress's own as their moods instantly brightened, a welcome ending for the dreary day Elsa had experienced. Plus, it certainly helped that Olaf gave good warm hugs. For a snowman who loved hugs, he was really really good at it. Heh.

"Elsa!" Every syllable Olaf spoke was filled with childish wonder and delight, something Elsa appreciated on those dark gloomy days that came too often. "You're back and it worked!"

"Worked…?" Elsa trailed off, her eyes leaving Olaf's freakishly warm body to survey the murder scene in front of her. The stoves and the cabinets had not taken any damage, thankfully. Most of Elsa's furniture had been brought in, assembled and installed by big burly men who didn't ask too many questions with the right amount of money.

Replacing them would be a chore, and while Elsa had saved more than enough in her personal accounts she was loathe to spend it without restraint and discipline.

"My main aim was to make you happy Mom!" At this, Elsa winced slightly, and quickly opened her mouth to correct her creation. She was not a mom, and he would have to get used to the notion eventually.

But she never got to stop him.

Seeing Olaf's grin made something warm stir inside Elsa's stomach- a pleasant feeling like drinking warm hot chocolate on a cold winter morning, unexpected but certainly welcome. So Elsa retracted her words and closed her mouth, choosing instead to envelop the snowman in an even tighter embrace to distract herself from the fuzzy feeling she had grown distant from.

The feeling of peace and contentment.

Sadly, everywhere else from the charcoal-fueled oven to the stone floor had sustained little to most of the baking batter and ingredients. The tray that once held the finished batch of cookies must have been dropped unceremoniously, hence the loud noise, as it lay face down amongst the piles of flour and sugar. Beside it, blackened burnt pieces of cookie lay strewn across the floor, decorating the floor with its disfigured bodies.

Elsa groaned inwardly, knowing full well that she could not let the sensitive little buddy know about her annoyance. The last time that happened, she had to spend a whole day comforting the little kid.

He really was like a kid, what with his unrelenting curiosity about the world and his freakishly innocent thoughts. At least she could just clean the mess up without much hassle, provided she had Olaf's help.

"Alright buddy, wanna go sleep?" Elsa broke out from their hug and knelt down to his eye level "I know you stayed up for me, so you must be tired"

"I'm not tired Elsa!" Olaf was just about to continue, but the telltale sound of his mouth starting to twitch showed signs of a yawn being suppressed. "I wanna, wanna...yawn... wanna hear about the bad guys you fought today!"

Elsa shook her head in mock disapproval, letting a quiet chuckle escape her lips as she guided Olaf towards the room. Ah, What the heck. Olaf was her creation so she could literally show her emotions to him. The mess could wait too.

Despite some flaws, Olaf was one of the most trusted and loyal companions she had found in the course of her life. Of course there were others, but most had gone ahead, leaving her alone to stumble in the dark.

A child, a teen, struggling to make sense of the powers gifted to her. Cursed with. Now an adult, Elsa was still trying to find her place in the world. Elsa rubbed her temples, knowing the moon was too high to make sense of her thoughts. She was tired and lethargic, wanting nothing more than to snuggle under her covers and hibernate.

But first, she needed to give Olaf his bedtime story.


	3. Chapter 3: Lucid Dreams

"Ugh…" She could feel some sort of heat beating down on her, oppressive in its blistering warmth. Elsa was a person who could definitely wake up in the morning, but something about the darkness prevented her from opening her eyes, a lullaby serenading her into peaceful ignorance.

She was pretty sure her alcohol resistance couldn't be that bad- It was only whiskey, which was far below her usual consumption levels on a worse day. Still, Elsa couldn't shake the feeling of lethargy encompassing her entire body in some sort of all powerful sphere.

The heat, exhaustion and the smell of burnt rubber almost lulled Elsa right back to blissful dreams of chocolate and sunset-kissed skies. Almost.

Wait, Burnt rubber?

Elsa's eyes instantly shot open despite the heaviness of her eyelids, survival instincts kicking in as she forced her entire body upright from her comfortable bed. Pins and needles immediately exploded across Elsa's body, a crawling sensation haunting her entire figure in pain. But she ignored it. There were bigger things to worry about.

Like her bed. This wasn't her bed.

The bed she was on was a simple four poster bed, the curtains pulled back to allow the sunlight to shine upon her face. She didn't have any windows in her cave, save for the other secret room she rarely used.

Glancing around, Elsa's heart rate spiked as she realized she could not recognize the surroundings at all. Ornate windows to the left, a dresser underneath, a fireplace crackling to the right. Beige and brown were the only splash of colour throughout the room she was in- furniture, bedsheet, floor.

Where the fuck was she?

Another whiff of rubber wafted by her nose, and Elsa knew. There was only one place whose fireplace smelt like horse shit. Fjordmound. Stupid fires designed to wake you up...

With an irritated grunt, Elsa flung her hand out towards the fire, a tiny hint of satisfaction settling in as pure ice shot out of her hands and extinguishing the putrid flames. Now nothing more than an empty fireplace decorated with dazzling ice sculptures, Elsa settled back into the pillows surrounding her, trying her best to slow down her heart rate.

Panicking would do her no good, not in a place overflowing with pure magical power. She had to think.

Why in Thor's name would they summon her here? And how did they even manage to? She had successfully avoided them all this while- had last night's exhaustion really got to her? Did her mind's instinctive barriers that she trained so hard to create finally falter for a second?

Elsa's brain felt like bursting. She had too many questions, and right now she was feeling too many emotions to think straight. Anger, annoyance and frustration were mainly messing with her psyche, encouraging her to question everything and anything around her.

It wasn't helping. She had to leave the room and find that stupid old wizard, the one that had called her here the first time.

Rolling off the regrettably comfortable bed, Elsa realized that she didn't have her staff with her. This didn't really mean much when it came to her powers, but in armed combat Elsa was definitely left at a disadvantage. Plus, she liked the support.

Not like it mattered. Elsa was rearing to let herself go at these bastards. She would show the full might of her powers now, the result of the training she put herself through every day.

Dusting herself off, Elsa was also glad to find she wasn't naked. Last time she came here, she hadn't been so lucky. She had to learn how to fashion an ice dress in five seconds before the door opened, and the poor soul had subsequently been blasted back with icy fury under Elsa's command. Those old creeps were definitely perverts.

Placing a hand on the cool metal doorknob, Elsa hesitated for a fraction of a second before opening the door.

In a flash, Elsa was greeted with a knife whistling through the air straight towards her head, which she avoided purely out of survival instinct and muscle reflex. Dropping to a crouch in the nick of time, Elsa felt the knife nick a single hair from her head before smashing into the wooden door with tremendous impact, splintering the wood and causing plaster to fly everywhere.

That knife had been thrown to kill.

With memories of combat training kicking in, Elsa immediately channeled the raw ancient energy pulsating inside her towards her hands, shooting a barrage of ice crystals in the direction of the knife thrower while diving towards a nearby column.

A grunt of pain could be heard as a soft _thwack!_ reached Elsa's ears, causing a wicked grin to spread across her face as she leant against the stone block for support. The attacker was male and wounded. Perfect- that's all she needed.

Thinking quickly, Elsa cast quick glances to the room she was in. With the room being the size of a grand ballroom, the stone columns were seemingly used as anchors to support the weight of the giant glass ceiling. The walls of the room were lined with gold and silver decorations, a symbol of elegance and glass reflecting against the marble floor.

Thankfully for her, the room had a lot of mirrors, which meant she could see her opponent. Sliding up the pillar with deathly silence, Elsa stole a peek in the mirror peeking out on the left side of the wall she was facing.

Her assailant was definitely male, judging from the half naked body that stood before her. He certainly towered over her in terms of height, a whole 4 heads taller. Wearing only shorts and sandals, it seemed the figure had opted to show his chiseled body instead of preparing for battle. Elsa shook her head in disgust- these people were really freaky.

Three more knives, an axe, and what looked to be a long broadsword. This warrior had little to no armour protection against Elsa's powers, and judging by his stance he aimed to face her head on using his godly strength. This was also evidenced by the gaping wound in his stomach, which was now beginning to close rapidly.

Elsa gritted her teeth in frustration. Seriously? Regeneration? What a pain in the-

Cerulean blue eyes met midnight black, and Elsa nearly hit herself on the head for her stupidity at that moment. If she could see him, he could definitely see her.

As quick as light, Elsa dove out from her cover, sliding across the marble floor with ease while avoiding the giant axe that had cleaved the pillar directly into two. The sound of the rocks crumbling onto the floor were drowned out by the rapid beating of Elsa's heart, an urgent drumming reminding her of the life she could lose at any moment. All around her, swirling dust particles kicked up a storm, setting the battlefield alight with an entrancing beauty.

Come on Elsa, focus.

Shooting forward an ice trail in front of her moving body, Elsa quickly vaulted herself into a crouching position as she slid around the ballroom, analyzing her assailant for any weakness she could exploit.

The sunlight shone down on him for just a second, but that was all she needed. Beyond the dazzling array of sun-kissed skin, she caught the tiniest glint of a green amulet resting on his neck. It was nothing but a needle in the haystack, barely the size of a coin.

It didn't matter. Elsa loved to play hide and seek.

Thinking quickly, Elsa slid to a stop beside a stone column, quickly spraying ice mist across the room from her hands. Clouds of white smog instantly rolled across the polished marble, a suffocating haze approaching the victim in the middle of the room.

With a frustrated yell, the figure brandished his sword, the sound of metal being unsheathed against a bronze scabbard almost deafening in the loud echoes of the room.

Elsa watched almost amusedly as he hacked wildly at the mist encircling him, frustrated grunts becoming more frequent with every desperate attack. However, this only served to make him visible to Elsa, the clouds forming a circle around him while masking her presence amongst the columns.

The flash of green caught her eye once more, and Elsa stopped in her tracks, moving quickly to hide behind the column while keeping her eyes trained on her target. What was he going to do now?

Despite all the things she had seen in her life, Elsa could not have been prepared at all for what came next.

The figure opened its mouth, and for a split second Elsa wondered whether it was yawning, before she saw it. Felt it, too. Bright blue flames, clear as day, spewed out like water from a dam, furiously spreading across the room with a fiery roar and engulfing the mist in a single bite. Burning hot air blasted Elsa's head back, forcing her to move behind the pillar once more as the sudden heat wave swept across the room commandingly.

"Well…" Elsa muttered faintly, bracing herself for another offensive maneuver. "I've been looking for a challenge anyway."

With a yell similar to that of a battle cry, Elsa sprang out from her hiding position and ran towards the colossal figure, aiming beams of pure icy energy in the direction of his limbs. Upon contact, ice immediately began to form over his arms and legs, attempting to entrap him in their freezing web.

However, with a primal roar, the figure instantly broke away the icy chains threatening to pull him down, rendering them useless. Or at least, that's what he thought. To Elsa, they had served their purpose.

Once again in the heat of the moment, the amulet had flashed its dazzling green, giving Elsa all the time in the realm to carry out her plan. Moving swiftly, Elsa reached the figure and parried away his first blow with a sword she had conjured out of ice, the sound of ice against metal scraping against her ears.

While Elsa didn't do this often, desperate times did call for desperate measures.

Without hesitation, Elsa slid between his legs and on to the other side, grabbing his calf in the progress and channeling some energy into the hairy attachment. Almost at once, frozen fractals formed instantly around his limb, tying him to the ground momentarily like a chain to a wall.

Using all of her body, Elsa immediately jumped upwards with a well-timed kick off the ground, somersaulting over the bowed figure gracefully and back towards the figure's front. However, before her feet could even touch the ground, Elsa's hands reached out to grab his thick neck, swinging her body onto his back in one fell swoop.

With a roar of anger, the figure must have realized Elsa's plan of attack, because almost instantly one meaty hand came rushing towards her while the other sought to strike her down with metal. Thankfully for her, the arriving sound of crackling ice meant that the frozen matter holding the figure's leg had shattered, leaving behind nothing but chunks of frozen meat and bone.

Leaping off the giant in the nick of time, Elsa landed gracefully on her feet and watched in satisfaction as the figure stumbled around, his roars of pain shaking the room. Blood immediately stained the floor as the stump spurted the red liquid everywhere, painting the room like that of a disturbing piece of art.

While Elsa could certainly feel the agony he was experiencing, she couldn't find any hint of regret in her soul. It was time to finish the job. Just as she had predicted, the amulet glew bright luminescent green once more, as the blood-covered stump attempted to grow a whole calf.

Knowing her window of opportunity was closing fast, Elsa quickly conjured up a pair of razor sharp icicles out of thin air, the sharp end glinting almost cruelly in the harsh sunlight. With a final heave, Elsa threw her hand towards the amulet, the crystal white spikes following her command.

As the ice pierced the crystal, Elsa felt a fleeting sense of accomplishment, before she felt her back nearly break from being slammed into the wall. The explosion rocked the building, sending out a shockwave that had pushed her all the way back into the walls of the room. A loud rumbling echoed throughout the commotion, almost a sign of whatever misfortune could befall Elsa next.

Then it stopped. And magically, the dust and ice disappeared, furniture and debris swirling around in the air. With an intrinsic quality about them, the displaced rocks and marble quickly made their way to their original positions, with the damaged columns also repairing themselves. Either she was going crazy, or magic was at work.

Elsa glanced up, watching in slight fascination as the room came to arrange itself in perfect order before settling on an all too familiar figure now standing at its center.

Definitely magic.

"Impressive" His velvety voice carried across the room, a bewitching enchantment to the ill prepared. "Even in your dreams, your subconscious is unmatched in ability."

"Erik." The two locked eyes with each other for a heated moment, neither daring to back down for fear of submitting control. In Fjordmound, power was everything. Without control, what did the sheep mean to the wolf?

Then, Elsa relented.

Grasping Erik's outstretched hand, She allowed a tiny smile to flit across her face, glad to see the one person she could at least tolerate in this lunatic hellhole.

"It better be an emergency, or I'm gonna freeze this place to the ground."

…

"Nice to see you perverts made some redecorations to this stinking place." Elsa was never really outrightly rude- she spent too many years going through royal training to be prim and proper. In some weird ironic way, Fjordmound was the only place she could ever freely speak her mind without care.

Here, she wanted to insult them. However, as loathe as she was to admit it, the way the sunlight cast beautiful patterns through handcrafted stained glass was something she could appreciate.

"Well, the current grand mage must have certainly felt inclined to make some redecorations, especially after the last time you wrecked the place." A tiny glance towards the bearded man's face showed he didn't really mind her attack, evident from the slight grin on his face.

"Come on" Elsa shot him a knowing glance, "You know what he did." They were walking towards the grand room, the new place designed for council meetings and whatever they liked to do in their free time- probably snack on babies and drink goat shit.

"Yes of course, but spilling blood on the sacred land-"

"Did you really just say sacred? After what they did?"

"Elsa, you put two icicles up his rear." Elsa rolled her eyes. Since when was Erik a stickler for such things? He was the only one to believe her, even got the council off her back after what happened. For someone who preferred the life of a rebel to that of a noble, he never really cared for rules.

"Should have put two more."

Earning a resigned chuckle from the large man, the two came to a stop at the towering doors, meticulously designed with gold, silver and wood. Different elements were woven together in a picturesque rosemaling pattern to frame the impressive doors, a lone symbol of beauty and power residing within this metaphysical plane.

It was impressive enough to leave Elsa slack jawed, but she chose to remain impassive.

"Game face, Elsa. I need you." Elsa cast a careful look at the man once more, surprised to see a slightly more weathered appearance than usual. While his typical wizard wardrobe seemed unchanged, she could see the change in his eyes, from happiness to weariness. Energetic to exhausted. Alive to...

Somehow, it almost seemed Erik had aged a thousand years since the last time she came.

"I wasn't lying when I said it was important." With that, Erik gave a subtle flick with his wrist, causing the doors to swing open without so much as a sound. Bracing herself for the worst, Elsa took a step into the chamber.

…

The sound of steel-tipped boots clashing against marble resounded throughout the tiny room, amongst the dozens of maps and parchments scattered around. Heaps of paper remained littered across the large planning table in the center, dusty snowflakes swirling mysteriously around the restless figure pacing the room.

Elsa worked alone. Ever since she left the castle, ever since everything that ever happened, it had always been like this. It was better, too. Elsa didn't need things to change.

Not yet.

And now these people had the gall to command her to work with another wizard, all to stop that stupid war. Brilliant, just brilliant. Even better, they had left her alone in the war room to prepare for the other mage's arrival. Elsa hated that she couldn't refuse this task- although this was clearly some sort of powerplay, she really didn't want Arendelle to go to war. Not over her.

It seemed her new partner had woken up late, something which Elsa could not relate to. She was an early bird by nature, and while she did understand the difficulties others faced she wasn't in a mood to be sympathetic.

The girl had to be powerful for the old farts to pardon her tardiness so readily- or maybe they were familiar with each other. Elsa clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, not bothering to slow down her footsteps as she walked around the room. She hoped anyone willing to associate themselves with this stinkhole wouldn't be half the clown she thought they were already.

Elsa didn't know if she wanted it to be a guy or a girl- she just wanted to be left alone, in all honesty. Pacing the room had worked up quite the sweat, and with the poor ventilation Elsa was quite ready to tear the place down and rebuild it with her own personal touch.

With an exasperated sigh, Elsa flicked her wrist in a circular motion and pointed up to the ceiling, a slight breeze appearing as the room's temperature instantly dropped. Tiny glittering stalactites appeared on the hand-painted ceilings, covering the faces of cherub babies and grotesque animals while filling Elsa with a brief moment of tranquility.

Honestly, she didn't have to listen to them- she just resisted less because it was Arendelle, her home. She didn't like how she had to go to Oslo though, especially when she had met that pedophile guard- but she couldn't go to Arendelle, could she? Also Erik was powerful enough to crush her, what with him being the new council leader.

And whoever this person was, it was already half an hour-

The door burst open with a loud bang, startling Elsa and causing her to stop in her tracks. Self-preservation kicked in, and glassy ice immediately expanded out from Elsa's feet in a snowflake formation, a protective circle of frozen water ready for use.

"Woah!" A high pitched feminine voice pierced Elsa's head, a melodious tune she missed but couldn't quite place. How strange, it sounded almost like a cry of surprise.

With a start, Elsa realized that the figure must have tripped over her ice, seemingly toppling towards her currently in an ungraceful manner. Without a second thought, she immediately stuck her hands out in a protective embrace, one arm wrapping behind the figure's back and another gripped tight onto a shoulder, stopping her in her fall.

The figure let out a sharp exhale, and Elsa's eyes finally focused on the figure in front of her.

Big upturned eyes stared back up at her, pools of teal seemingly almost magnetic in nature- a river for Elsa to drown in. Luscious eyelashes complimented equally thick brows, their colour slightly darker than the strawberry-blonde hair sitting atop her head. A light dusting of freckles were sprinkled across her full cheeks, features combining to form a dainty yet breathtaking masterpiece.

Under her arms, Elsa could also feel her slender yet muscular build, wiry but full of spry and strength. She could tell that this woman had curves in all the right areas, noticing the slight bumps at her chest area through the thick winter cloak she was wearing. Put simply, this woman was angelic, bewitching and ravishing at the same time.

Locking eyes with the woman once more, Elsa's breath got caught in her throat. Something about those turquoise blue lagoons suggested something far more elusive- a secret waiting to be found, a fire burning in the darkest corner.

Elsa had never found herself in these types of situations, she never even touched the people she talked to! Yet here she was, handling what appeared to be a reincarnation of unbridled and joyful beauty.

Crystal blue continued their heated exchange with autumn brown as Elsa slowly realized what she was doing. Touching a woman she had never known, in places she never dared imagine.

So without so much as a sound and a face of surprise at what she had done, Elsa did the best thing to do- she let go.

With a surprised yelp, the woman below her fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, her clothes flaying in all directions as she landed on her bum with a muted thump. A tiny whine followed shortly after, showing she hadn't been expecting to be treated so roughly.

Elsa couldn't show her guilt- she had to put on the mask, the one she was taught to wear at formal functions and meeting the dukes of various countries. Regalness and composure, nothing could break her. She couldn't- the girl below her had caught her unawares despite her bumbling entrance, a feat not many could accomplish.

She was dangerous, and Elsa had to put a wall between them before those eyes drove her crazy.

"I apologize, miss" Elsa smoothened out her own outfit, casting a look down toward the red-haired heap with what she hoped wasn't a condescending one. "Although I would hope we can formally introduce ourselves first before you throw yourself at me."

A look of brief confusion flitted across her face for a second, and Elsa froze. Did she really just say that? Wait, that wasn't supposed to come out! Shit, what was she thinking-

A soft chuckle broke Elsa's train of worried thoughts, and she looked down to see a face slightly contorted with laughter, a hint of pearly whites glinting in the light. Wait, what?

"I'm not the one creating the ice here, blondie." The girl used a hand to push herself up smoothly, effortlessly straightening her posture to measure at just a few inches shorter than Elsa. With a dazzling smile that could light up Arendelle, she stuck out her hand towards Elsa, tiny calluses and creases showing themselves up for viewing.

"I'm Anna! Nice to meet you! What's your name?" Her perky and energetic voice was as bright as the sun, and Elsa smoothly made the same motion, grasping the other hand with a careful hold. Weathered hands, just like hers. Smooth but imperfect.

"Elsa." Elsa had to go back to the cave to think about this whole encounter with a woman who was so alive, but she had to sort things out with her first. Like their plan to stop a whole war from happening, all by careful negotiations and the not so subtle threat of magic.

"Elsa! That's a pretty name!" Anna swept past her and continued toward the table, her eyes grazing the maps and parchments exposed against the maplewood furniture. "Anyway, I've already been briefed, so all we need to do is settle on our course of action."

As loathe as Elsa was to admit, they should follow the plan laid out for them. It was structured and organized, exactly how she would have done it.

"I propose we follow the plan set out for us. They have suggested that we shall be sent to the gates of the Oslo castle by magic, where we will then seek an audience with the king and his son so we may negotiate him into stopping the war."

"Makes sense." Elsa found herself looking at Anna as her fingers traced the hand-woven maps in front of her, the light scratching of flesh against paper barely noticeable. "Wow that was really easy, we didn't even have to plan!"

"Yes, it appears so." A faint ringing was starting to appear in her ear, meaning Olaf was in trouble. Probably burned something again. "Forgive me, but I must go- I have matters to attend to."

"Now?" Anna's slight whine did not escape Elsa, and she struggled to remain impassive in the face of it all. "But we barely got to talk to each other!"

"I'd say our first interaction was enlightening enough."

"What's that supposed to mean? And who stepped on your foot this morning?" So Anna had noticed her change in demeanour? Good, she had to keep her distance- no matter what.

"You did actually, just a few minutes ago. Now good day, Anna. I will see you again soon at the agreed timing in the briefing." Elsa made for the door, leaving the room without any trace save for the fading ice formations melting back into the ceilings. Of course, all this did not go unnoticed, and Anna's mouth opened a little in wonder as she watched tiny snowflakes waltz around amongst the dust clouds spinning in the air.

"Ice, huh? Interesting…"

**A/N: The plot begins! Sorry it took so long, I need to introduce a lot of things and I'll be slowly doing it over the course of the story. I really hope y'all stick around for the ride, and I hope you all will have read until here HAHA. Do give a follow or leave a review so I know whether you guys like it ,or whether you guys have any questions ;)**


	4. Chapter 4: Oslo

Anna glanced upwards towards the sky, admiring the breathtaking azure blue colour and the fluffy clouds dancing across her vision. Many miles above her, tiny specks extended their wings to float on air effortlessly, a permanent blob against the magnificent blue backdrop.

She always wondered what it would be like to be a bird, have freedom spilling out from her fingertips in any direction she could imagine. Bounded by nothing, a free-spirited being set loose to explore the world on every whim. What a shame she was a female sorceress out on a mission to stop a war from tearing up the balance of power.

Dressed in her favourite navy green tunic and black breeches, Anna kicked a pile of snow with her steel-tipped boots, her black cloak fluttering ever so slightly in the wind. Ever since the day she was assigned her mission, she was given barely a day to pack before being rudely cast through a magic portal to the outskirts of Oslo. She had managed to pack in everything she wanted- including that trusty joke book of hers that never failed to brighten her spirits.

While she did owe most of her abilities to those wizards, they could have been a bit more comfortable with their style of travel. Portals were the worst- Anna was hoping the tiny throbbing in her head was a side effect that wouldn't linger for long, she had enough on her plate as it is.

Speaking of Elsa...

Anna let a sigh escape her lips, the warm air leaving her body turning into mist instantly in lieu with the freezing weather as she glanced towards the snow-covered buildings littered across the townscape. Even from here, Anna could hear the sounds of metal ringing and machines in production, a loud whirring droning on constantly ever so faintly in the distance.

The sun hitting the clouds had cast several intricate shadows onto the rooftops, and the colourful brick walls seemed to glow slightly in the afternoon hue. While most of it had been converted into industrial purposes, Oslo was certainly beautiful from this tiny cliff overlooking it.

Elsa was also beautiful. Regal, attentive, cold. Rude. Anna still couldn't understand how her mood had completely changed from the start. Ever since her first sentence, Elsa had suddenly given her the cold shoulder, both literally and metaphorically. She may not have noticed it, but Anna knew if not for her powers the entire room would have been shrouded in frozen matter.

It was probably her clumsiness that made her annoyed. Or the whiny tone in her voice when she got frustrated? She hadn't even bothered to offer Anna a hand after dropping her to the floor so unceremoniously. Well, at least she said sorry…

Whoever the hell this girl was, she was definitely an enigma- one Anna wasn't sure she had the time for. If she was going to be difficult, that would be her problem. Anna had survived on her own, a forced independence she had molded herself into effortlessly ever since young.

And besides, this girl had subtly scolded her about her tardiness the last time they met, which by the way wasn't even her fault she was sleeping on that bed peacefully enough. Where was she now anyway?

As if on cue, a silky smooth voice made its way into Anna's ear, worming into her insides and sending a trail of goosebumps down her neck. "Good afternoon." It was only then did Anna realize her thoughts had completely muted the soft crunch of snow underneath light footsteps, the controlled breathing of another individual in her vicinity.

Turning her eyes away from the Osloian landscape, Anna's focus fell onto the women standing beside her. With her trademark platinum blonde hair tied up in a loose braid, Elsa had covered most of her body with a long black cloak, similar to Anna's own dark green dress robe. Except, Anna was pretty sure she couldn't feel cold…

"I thought you don't feel cold." The statement escaped her lips before she knew it, and Anna inwardly cursed at herself. She wasn't supposed to be so friendly.

"I don't." Anna couldn't say she didn't see the curt response coming from a mile away, a tiny sense of frustration bubbling underneath her skin as she glanced at the impassive figure.

"Then what's with the cloak? You look like you're about to offer me a poisoned apple."

"What?" Elsa started for the towering wooden bridge that would take them to the bustling centre of Oslo, Anna following closely behind. The powdered snow slowly cleared to form a better path for the two figures, tiny snowflakes dissolving onto their shoulders.

"Nevermind, you don't look like you would know anyway." At this statement, Anna saw Elsa's head turn ever so slightly without slowing down her pace, her piercing gaze reaching right into Anna's mind.

"What's that supposed to mean?" At this, Anna gave a non-commital shrug, a little surprised that she might have taken offense. "Nothing, I just don't think you read a lot of those fairytales…"

With nothing more than a quiet hum in acknowledgement, the slender figure turned her body back towards the direction of the bridge, and Anna once again racked her brain for the answer as to how this woman operated.

What was Elsa even thinking? Anna wouldn't know, she couldn't tell how someone was feeling when they remained so stoic no matter what she threw at her. Hmm.

Anna was shaken out of her thoughts when she felt herself bump into something soft and solid, surprisingly warm in the biting winter breeze. A low grunt reached her ears, and Anna immediately backed off once she realized what had happened, muttering an apology to anyone who could hear. She must have bumped into Elsa!

Elsa didn't seem fazed at all, her eyes sweeping across Anna's face in a precise, concentrated manner before they held each other's gaze. A rush of heat attacked Anna's neck, and before she realized, Elsa had already turned back to the direction of the castle, giving no sign she felt Anna bump into her save for that stare. That piercing cold stare.

"I suggest we use the cover of secrecy by sneaking around the town's center. We'll draw less attention if we use the bustling market to our advantage, and move around the outskirts to the castle's back entrance." Anna followed Elsa's outstretched finger to the lively area in the middle of the land, the faint sounds of shouts and laughter reaching their ears.

"Psh" Anna scoffed. "Two hooded figures making their way to the castle? Please, we'll be stopped faster than you can say 'oops'."

"Oops."

"What was the oops even for?"

"To prove a point." Anna glimpsed the faintest of smirks flit across the blonde's face, before it disappeared as quick as it came. "I don't suppose you have a different plan, being the advisor to the king himself?"

"Well, we don't exactly have to hide. It's Oslo, plenty of weird people pass through these parts. And besides, we'll be fine, we don't look that suspicious. Just a couple of folks with cloaks and sticks, that's all." At this, Elsa raised a threaded brow as she began her descent down the ridge, starting her journey towards the looming castle.

"Staffs."

"Psh, same thing."

"Don't psh me." Elsa's deadpan command did nothing to deter her, and the auburn haired sorceress simply grinned in response. Nothing wrong with a little fun...

"I'll psh whoever I want, Elsa. Psh!" The girl in question jumped off the tiny cliff and landed on the snow padded ground with impossible grace, before fixing Anna with the most depreciating look she ever got.

"Let's just get a move on."

…

"So… ice, huh?"

The two were making their way towards the castle, the cozy ambience of warm florists and butchers contrasted by the loud clanging of local blacksmiths overworked to their core. It was a clash of everything- the aroma of food fighting with the pungent smoke, the shouts of store vendors drowned out against hammer striking down on hot metal. It seemed bizarre- like someone had blended nostalgia and violence into a nasty little milkshake.

The blonde gave little indication that she heard Anna's comment, not breaking her stride as they walked further into the town. "What about it?"

"As in, ice is your area of expertise?"

"Expertise?" Elsa finally turned her head to face her, a curious look on her features. "You'll have to be a bit clearer than that."

Anna sighed. It had been like this the whole time they were walking, every question met with the coldest answer. She didn't know why she tried- after all, she had told herself she wouldn't care. But something about the brooding mysterious figure was alluring to her, and she couldn't help but be drawn to this unknown identity.

"Forget it." Anna didn't bother hiding the annoyance and dejection in her voice, and they continued their walk in silence.

So far, she had gathered very little information about Elsa. Firstly, Elsa wasn't a fan of talking. Secondly, her eyes were blue. Shocking, chill-you-to-the-bone blue. And lastly, she was a bitch.

So yea, not very helpful. Whatever, they were close to the castle- she wouldn't have to deal with this much longer. Just go to the king and tell him to not be dumb and boom! Problem solved. Maybe throw in a few tricks if he wasn't gonna budge.

All around the two, life continued as normal. Shouts for food and water flew around the place, demands made by tired labourers and snobby royals alike. Over to their left, a brawl between two large burly men had broken out, forcing the patrolling guards to swoop in and intervene. Despite its contrasting nature, the many blacksmith shops set up to assist war production were peacefully coexisting with normal civilian life.

Well, as peaceful as it could be.

Anna and Elsa stopped short of the towering building made of brick and silver, a fortress in its own right casting shadows down on the town's populace. Around the entrance to the bridge linking the royal palace to the town itself, many milled around with mouths agape and shouts of adoration for their king.

Anna couldn't help but feel pity for them. They were brainwashed by King Jerald, fed only lies and stories manipulated to better the crown's image. The war itself was being blamed on Arendelle for their false accusation of the missing princess, something Anna herself was skeptical about as well. A princess disappearing a few days before the royal wedding? Something was definitely amiss, and Anna couldn't really trust the fat leader and his deceitful ways.

At least he was afraid of her. He was afraid of what she could do to him, simply because Anna never revealed what exactly she could do. What a fool. Or to his credit, a powerful fool.

"Anna." Elsa's voice nearly escaped her ears, but she turned around to face the sorceress who was looking at her with an unreadable expression. With blonde eyebrows furrowed and a dimple in her cheek, Anna couldn't decipher what the girl in front of her was thinking.

"Yes?" Anna shot her a playful grin. "Someone having second thoughts about the scary castle? Need me to hold your hand?"

"No." Elsa closed the distance between them, and all of a sudden her warm breath fanned Anna's face in the cold breeze. "But whatever happens, I need you to trust me."

"Oh yea sure, I'll just trust the woman I know about, thanks a lot Elsa."

Anna's sarcasm was hard to miss, but Elsa's face only hardened in response before she grabbed her arm into a vice like grip. All at once, Anna could feel each finger in its entirety, their slender built digging into her flesh in a not so unpleasant way.

"I'm serious." Elsa fixed her with the most intense gaze she had felt all day from the impassive woman, blue eyes never breaking away for a second. With a start, Anna realized the ground beneath her feet hadn't just swelled up- ice was spreading out under Elsa's boots in the form of a giant snowflake, it's patterns casting resplendent shadows on the brick floor.

"Fine, but don't tell me you're gonna kill him." Anna quickly pulled her towards the castle, leaving the ice to dissipate into the ground as they left the crime scene with a quickened pace. "I'd hate to clean up your mess."

Anna heard her breathe a sigh of relief, and the hold on her hand loosened in response.

"Don't worry, I'll try not to." And with that, Elsa cracked a tiny grin, almost stopping Anna dead in her tracks as she took in the rare display in front of her. With a hint of pearly whites showing underneath those thin yet luscious lips, the sight of the blonde smiling was as rare as it was sensational. She should really smile more…

Anna's obvious staring didn't go unnoticed, for the smile faded as quickly as it came. Instead, Elsa fixed her with a quizzical look.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no, you just don't usually smile, that's all." The two finally arrived at the gates, the guards already moving forward to greet them. The sound of metal armour grinding against its different body parts filled the ensuing silence that followed.

Too soft for anyone to hear, Anna muttered "you should do it more", before turning to address the gruff looking soldiers looking worse for wear than usual. Overhead, the stormy clouds that had formed overhead had long cleared, and the sun shone down to cast a warm glow on Anna's figure.

Unbeknownst to her, Elsa slipped her hood on even tighter, masking the tiny smile that had found its way onto her face.

...

Growing up in a childhood as… rough as hers, Anna had to adapt and learn in the confines of her tortures. She had to train her hearing, discern laboured breathing and drunken cursing amongst the crashing of furniture. She knew most of the time when people were angry or afraid, the two primary emotions experienced in her household during her tenure.

So what the hell was wrong with Elsa?

Standing in the throne room befitting of a king focused on grandiose, Anna could hear Elsa's concealed yet panicked breathing. The first showing of a weakness since they met, and it had to be in the presence of King Jerald himself. The one person they had to intimidate. Looking haggard and worse for the wear, the man with the gold crown sat in front of them consulting his advisors as the two stood before the steps leading to his throne.

Anna couldn't even afford to ask Elsa if she was okay- they had to remain impassive and invulnerable in front of this viper, not a shred of emotion. They had to scare this man into budging, and so far Elsa's silence combined with her steely tone seemed to be doing the trick.

"King Jerald." Anna raised her voice so it would travel across the room, disrupting the tense discussion the man seemed to be involved with. "It is in your best interest to cease this path. As your past advisor to grave matters, this is yet another situation where my counsel would benefit you. A compromise can be met between Oslo and Arendelle with our assistance, I assure you."

With a puff, King Jerald slumped back into his seat, dismissing his advisors with a wave as he fixed Anna with a harsh stare. "And will Oslo be better off or worse off with a peaceful deal?"

"Well, once the deal is finalized we-"

"Then there is no guarantee for the welfare of my people! We are better off claiming the fertile land for ourselves!"

"War never solved anything, King Jerald."

A silence enveloped the room momentarily, during which the King fixed a lifeless pair of grey eyes towards the couple occupying the middle of the room plated with gold and silver.

"Tell me, witch" He rose from his seat slowly, casting a shadow over the pair in the sunlight streaming through the glass-stained window. "Who do you serve, me or the council?"

"I serve the council, King Jerald, but-"

"Then I have my answer, and you shall have yours. Oslo will march onto Arendelle, with or without your support, witch. Your advice is not what is best for me, but rather what is best for you. It seems it is time our relationship is taken into consideration."

Anna's ear twitched at his impassive tone, almost as if he had been set on this path all along. He had agreed to the audience, and yet it seemed he was never open for discussion. He had been finding reasons to dissuade her and stick to his decision, something Anna was beginning to realize as the man flicked his finger.

All at once, heavily armed guards thundered in from all doors into the room, metal shields and swords glinting glaringly in the daylight as they surrounded the two women in a circle formation.

"I am no longer in need of your counsel, witch. It seems your advice was more poison than fine wine, and I need not have such a charlatan whispering into my ear. You may leave."

The sounds of metal blades exiting their sheaths accompanied the king's declaration, issuing an act of finality on the situation. Anna cursed inwardly- the king hadn't agreed to discuss, he just needed them here. But for what? The king didn't know what she could do, there was no way-

"Move bitch! You don't belong here." A thick meaty voice interrupted her thoughts, and she moved to glare at the hairy knight facing her down with the tip of his sword.

"Watch your tone, boy." Anna's eyes darkened, ghostly memories of a certain someone haunting her mind and quickening her breath. "Those words may be your last."

"I'd hate to interrupt, but I'm the king, and attacking my knights is an offense punishable by death."Jerald's drawl carried across the room, and Anna had to stifle the bubbling anger inside of her as she turned to face the king.

"King Jerald, I merely ask you reconsider-"

"Enough, fire sorceress! Talking back to your king is treason too!"

Anna froze. She heard wrong right?It wasn't possible, he couldn't have known- could he? Had she been noticed? Recognized? Betrayed? How the hell did he know about her power? A thousand questions swamped her brain, and Anna couldn't decide which one needed answering first.

For once in her life, Anna didn't know what the fuck to do.

Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa had not moved an inch at all, a statue frozen by unseen powers. And yet, Anna saw her head tilt upwards towards the king, all before she tipped over towards the floor and into an ungracious heap, her last gasp echoing through the chamber.

Anna couldn't move, no matter how hard she tried- he knew who she was, what she was, he had to. What could she do? What was Elsa thinking? Was she alright?

That triumphant smirk of his was the last thing she registered before pain exploded into a million tiny stars within her brain, dropping her onto the cool marble floor. With her vision rapidly fading and the warm burning sensation of blood dripping down her neck, Anna could only focus on the body beside her.

It was all she could do, before the darkness consumed her.


End file.
